Ex-Pools boss Newell – Moore’s the man for Hartlepool United

Mike Newell.

Published:12:52Friday 19 December 2014

IF anyone can get Hartlepool United out of the mire, it’s Ronnie Moore.

That was the message today from former Pools boss Mike Newell.

The 49-year-old believes his fellow Scouser has the experience and the knack at lower league level to turn Pools around – providing he gets to bring in “new blood” next month when the transfer window opens.

“Ronnie’s not someone I know well, I’ve met him a few times,” said Newell, who led Pools to promotion in 2003.

“Wherever he’s at, he does a good job.

“He was unlucky at Tranmere where he just missed out on promotion to the Championship and he had a great run at Rotherham who punched above their weight.

“I’m really surprised Tranmere sacked him the first time around and the second time I don’t really enough of what went on to comment.

“But I know he’s a good manager who is capable of getting results and improving teams.

“It’s a desperate situation.

“The goals scored column tells the story, it has done all season.

“At this stage you are not there at the bottom unless you deserve to be.

“But fingers crossed Ronnie can weave a bit of magic.

“A lot will depend on what sort of budget the new owners can give him for January.

“Yes, he needs results now but then he needs players because the current ones have proved they are not good enough.

“The table does not lie.”

Moore will give the squad he inherited a chance but Newell believes the 61-year-old will have an idea already who he wants to bring in after January 1.

“Ronnie will have in his mind the sort of players who can help him,” said Newell.

“Whether the club can get them, who knows?

“Hartlepool are down there and that’s not good when you are trying to recruit players.

“That’s a difficulty in itself.

“I’m sure a look at the table will put a few off.

“Ronnie will have to bring in new blood, players who can get Pools some wins and momentum

“It’s a difficult job he’s taken on but I’m sure Ronnie is capable of doing it.”

Newell says he still has a soft spot for Pools and he’s desperately hoping Moore can save them.

One of only four men to lead Pools to promotion, the former striker told SportMail he applied to be boss for the second time when Colin Cooper resigned in October.

“I always look for my old teams and I’m not frightened to admit I threw my name in the hat the last time the job was available,” he said.

“I got a nice letter back saying ‘thanks but no thanks’ but at least the club had the decency to reply.

“Some clubs you get no call, no e-mail, no letter, nothing.

“I’ve applied for millions of jobs and most of the time you get nothing but Pools acted properly.”

Despite taking Pools up, Newell was fired before going on to prove it was no fluke by winning promotion with Luton Town.

With IOR leaving the Vic this week after selling the club to TMH 2014, many would have understood if the ex-Blackburn striker had fired off a ‘good riddance’ broadside.

But he added: “I like Hartlepool and won’t publicly slag off any club who have employed me.

“I won’t have a go at IOR, it was their club and they ran it as they saw fit.

“I disagreed with the owners on things but I was honest with them. That is how I am.

“I just don’t think that I was the sort of manager they were looking for.”

Newell is currently doing some coaching at another League Two outfit, Accrington Stanley.

And after a long spell out of the game he’s back where he is happiest, working with players on the training ground.

“I’ve been doing some stuff with Accrington over the last fortnight,” he said.

“I know [manager] John Coleman and I met him a couple of weeks back and he invited me to do a bit.